Monday, March 17, 2008

I may be missing in action for the next week or so. I have some issues to deal with.

I'm a little tired of blogging at the moment anyway. It is beginning to drain me.... with all the negative news. There is George Bush with his usual stupidity, and the (s)election campaign and the Swiftboating of Barack Obama (I knew it was coming... But I wish they would have gotten it over with earlier before our "hopes" got too high). Then there is the beast Hillary Clinton with her race baiting tactics.... where she has now turned everything around to make it Obama's fault. This adds a whole new meaning to "blaming the victim".

It's amazing that Obama's "Blackness" will end up being his downfall afterall.... even though he tried his damndest to run a smooth, clean, race neutral campaign that tried to put a focus on the issues. He was smeared anyway. Clinton's aim was to brand him with the "Black candidate" label, and with the help of her allies in the White Corporate media, she has now been successful. Gravity will take over & do the rest now. That says a lot about the United States of Amerikkka....when you are a Black or minority political figure and you try to deal with the merits of issues... they still find a way to use race against you. But it should be no surprise in one of the most racist nations in the World. It just confirms all many of the reasons why I hate being a Black man in this Country.

How do you have all of this scrutiny aimed at Obama regarding his former Pastor Reverend Wright.... and there is no one asking John McCain to denounce, reject, etc... a known bigot and hate monger who's endorsement McCain happily and publicly accepted? This is so ass backwards that I can't even begin to rationalize it... It raises my blood pressure too high.

And what about Hillary Clinton? This woman virtually has a goddamn Cemetery in her closet. David Axelrod is either too stupid or too weak & spineless to find any of the bodies buried inside. It wouldn't be hard to find any.... that scene from Hotel Rwanda comes to mind when Paul Rusesabagina steps out of the car on one of the main roads...and ends up tripping over bodies stacked two deep.

When will someone ask Clinton about her relationship with sweatshop tycoon Willie Tan...ask her to explain everything and ask her if she returned his money...& if not, why not? Mrs. Pro-Labor Rights my ass!!!

When will someone in the White corporate media corner Hillary and ask her about her true involvement in all of the fraud surrounding her Senate Campaign? When will they ask her to talk about her involvement with her finance director David Rosen, who was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury?

When will someone in the White corporate media ask Hillary "The Feminist" Clinton why she violated her feminist principles and defended a brutal wifebeater when she was at the Rose Law Firm?

When will the White corporate media go back and talk with the folks at the Rose Law Firm about Hillary? (The Rose Law Firm = The Rose Cemetary for Clinton).

When will the White corporate media look into Clinton's background at Wal-Mart and her work fighting AGAINST labor rights?

When will the White corporate media investigate Clinton's relationship with Healthcare Industry lobbyists leading up to...and after the absolute failure of her Universal Healthcare campaign?

And there are still a lot of questions left unanswered regarding Travelgate....and a whole host of other issues.

There are enough Skeletons in Hillary's closet to keep a team of good investigative Journalists and Campaign chiefs busy for months.... IF THEY WOULD ONLY LOOK.And the above is barely the tip of the iceberg.

There has been some more recent analysis on the U.S. economy, but I have not gotten around to posting that information. I am hoping that this is a normal financial correction....and not a global recession...or worse. But the dollar could tank any day now.... it has been on shaky ground for some time. The nation's leaders had a long time to do something about it....but due to a lack of leadership... no action was taken to fix fundamental problems in the nation's economy and with the currency in particular.

On top of all of that, I have issues at home to take care of.... including my own lack of funds. It's one problem after another.

Blogging, usually cathartic, has recently become a drag on the psyche.

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On another note... I lost a co-blogger last week. Liberal Arts Dude (Redante) decided that he could no longer contribute. I would like to add another blogger... and my choice will be made with diversity in mind.

I am looking for ways to improve the blog. I am considering scrapping the site and starting over from scratch, because I am not satisfied with the readership situation, or participation (although that has grown by leaps and bounds from what it was a year ago). The bloggers here work hard....

It's annoying to see blogs of lesser quality with much higher readership.I also find it hard to blog as a "Black" blogger. It's like having a weight attached to your leg when you are trying to sprint (Barack Obama knows a little something about that)....and it never goes away. Bolt cutters can't set you free. It's hard posting the right balance between so-called "Black" issues, and other broader issues that interest me...and issues that we should all be concerned with. Furthermore, there is just so much going on that it's hard to narrow things down...although I have it down to a science.

But I am calling out to anyone who has suggestions on improving the blog (in fact, I am always open to suggestions).

*What kinds of topics would you like to see discussed?*How could we diversify and broaden the readership? (which is a long term goal of mine)*More videos/multi-media....less...or just right?*More original writing? (My time is limited....and so is Rikyrah's i'm sure).

Well... it's time for me to go....

If you have any complaints... contact Rikyrah. Whatever it is... it will probably be her fault anyway.

9 comments:

I Just started reading your blog about a month ago. I am a 45 year-old black woman who loves your work, along with rikyra and the others. Please don't go away. I have read your blog everyday. You guys always tell it like it is. I even posted a link to your blog on my blog. Take care of what you have to do, then come back to us.

My advice: Be less Angry and more Independent! I'm putting together a workshop in New York City that I want to invite you be on the panel for on blogging and creating community. RSVP. Your voice is important.... Give up? Are you serious? We just got started!!!!Hanks 646-567-6641

I read your blog from time to time and I think that you should put more pictures in witht eh blog post and maybe some more video. However, i don't know what you can do to spark more conversation in the comments section...

I agree with everyone's sentiment here..please don't give up, your opinions and voice need to be heard. Keep up the good work. This is my first time posting although I do read your blog and agree with mostly everything you write. Take care.

I hope you continue Mirror On America. I read it often, but I seldom comment.

I know I have readers on my blog according to my stats. I use to think the significance of a blog was about how many people comment, but that is not so. The significance is our opinions; feelings have a place to be express regardless if anyone comments to a post.

Finally, some blogs are a tight community among regular commenters or contributors and they do not feel welcoming. I was happy to find African American blogs once I became a blog junkie. To be honest, the vibe felt unwelcoming here and at other African American blogs, that I like and I think that is the problem with most of them. Instead of stopping by it was more comfortable not to comment.

It does not hurt when readers finally comment for the first time to say welcome and drop in anytime. Regardless, of the changes you make I look forward to them.

AI, I completely understand some of the frustations you face as it relates to blogging with news being as depressing (and yes, angering) as it is. So I'll concede to that point.

But as it relates to your "readership", I wouldn't measure the success of your blog by the number of readers/commentors any more than I'd measure the success of a marching band by how many butts are shaking in the stands...uh...never mind. You get the point.

The fact is: you guys present hard-hitting, in-your-face, and critical commentary on just about everything under the rainbow. I should also point out that you enlighten a bunch of people in the process. Given how on point this blog is, there's NO ROOM for defeatism. I won't have it. :)

Still, if life's issues prevent you from being as prolific on your blog, that's cool. But before you pack it up for good, I think you can see that you've got a following who get more info here than on the news itself. You're the Angry, Black Man's version of Jon Stewart (minus the comedy, I guess).

Please continue your blog: I am an educated white woman, age 48, who has read it often but not left comments. Do not despair over Barack Obama yet: I feel certain that he will prevail, the Wright smear notwithstanding. His speech was beautiful: subtle and profound, and not subject to any mania or shrillness. It was Barack in all his splendor and genius. Those who have ears to hear him will continue to support him with fervor. The main-stream media is a crashing bore to millions. Thank you for your lovely blog.

"The two parties have combined against us to nullify our power by a ‘gentleman's agreement' of non-recognition, no matter how we vote ... May God write us down as asses if ever again we are found putting our trust in either the Republican or the Democratic Parties." -- W.E.B. DuBois (1922)